LG is facing another product recall, this is the same appliance manufacturer the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, were forced to obtain a court enforceable order against last year, in an effort to force LG Energy to advertise a recall of 18,000 dodgy LG solar batteries that in one incident was responsible for burning a house down in Victoria.
This time round it’s their questionable appliances being sold in the USA, that are subject to a massive recall after the US Consumer Product Safety Commission the equivalent of the ACCC ordered the recall of 500,000 LG Electronics appliances which have resulted in the death of pets and homes being set on fire.
The CPSC claim that 500,000 LG ovens sold across the US are being recalled due to a fire hazard that has led to injuries, property damage, and the deaths of pets.
The recall affects ovens with front-mounted knobs that can be unintentionally turned on, creating a serious safety risk.
According to the CPSC, at least 86 reports have been filed relating to the LG appliance.
Like in Australia with their solar batteries the LG faulty ovens have been linked to home fire with the CPC claiming that up to date there have been 28 home fires attributable to the questionable LG appliance.
Additionally, eight minor injuries, including burns, have been reported, and at least three of the fires resulted in the deaths of pets.
The recalled ovens were sold at major retailers such as Best Buy, Costco, Home Depot and Lowe’s as well as online at LG.com.
LG advised owners of the recalled ovens to contact LG Electronics for a free warning label, they were also given instructions as to where to place the label.
“Consumers are cautioned to keep children and pets away from the knobs, to check the oven knobs to ensure they are off before leaving home or going to bed, and not to leave objects on the oven when it is not in use,” the recall notice stated.
In one incident in 2024 involving a cooker with knobs a home security video caught a dog jumping onto a stove and inadvertently switching on a burner.
The burner’s flames ignited a nearby cardboard box, leading to a fire that displaced a family in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
LG Solar batteries that was the subject of a recall in Australia after they exploded.
The latest LG recall serves as a stark warning to consumers to check their ovens, ensure they are properly secured, and take precautions to prevent accidental activation that could lead to dangerous and costly fires.
The company said it “will provide a more prominent label that reminds consumers to use the Companies Control Lock/Lock Out function.”
The LG Ovens are not sold in Australia.
In Australia LG Electronics has a chequred history when it comes to consumer protection, warranty claims and at one stage the South Korean Company could not put out a press statement before it had to be vetted by a lawyers following orders obtained by the ACCC.
Back in 2019 the Federal Court imposed $160,000 in penalties on the Company for making misleading representations to two consumers about their consumer guarantee rights.
The Full Court found that LG made misleading representations to two consumers who believed they had purchased faulty televisions, when it implied on phone calls they had no rights other than those under LG’s manufacturer’s warranties.
The Full Court also questioned LG’s training of staff.
“Consumer guarantee rights are separate to warranties offered by manufacturers and will always be available to consumers who find they have been sold a faulty product,” ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court said at the time.
“The Court’s decision is a reminder that making misleading statements about consumer guarantee rights, even to only one or two consumers, can result in penalties being imposed.” she added.
